To overcome this problem, the company found the HP Accu-Lock® retainer insert from Wilson Tool International®. It allows manufacturers to modify existing retainers or manufacture new ones in-house.
“The … product has actually eliminated our need for the special retainers,” Wlliams said. “Now we can manufacture the retainers here in our shop and then buy the inserts. We just pop them in, and we’re ready to go in a matter of days, not weeks.”
The insert helps simplify the use of special retainers by eliminating the need for complicated jigs, inspection fixtures, and specialized knowledge to machine ball holes into the punch plate. Punches are held in place with a straight-line machined hole that can be created in-house, eliminating the ball hole.
“We can turn around a retainer in a few days or even hours, right in our own die shop,” Williams said. “That is a huge benefit for us. Timing is everything for us in this business.”
With the opportunity to manufacture retainers in-house, the company experienced additional benefits, including more design flexibility.
This article was originally published in STAMPING Journal.
June 30, 2017